Quest for Happiness
by Nova.8
Summary: Heroes Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase, learn the difficult way that human troubles can be worse than slaying monsters and giants. After all, they are only half God, and their human sides might just require a subtle quest for happiness to help them find a way back to each other. ***BoO Spoilers***
1. Chapter 1

My very first Percy Jackson fanfiction. I'm very depressed that the series has come to an end and just could not get out of the world or over the characters yet, so I decided to write and here we are. Thoughts and constructive criticism will be highly appreciated, so please review. Blood of Olympus spoilers and much, much more Percy and Annabeth POVs! ;-)

Happy reading …

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><p><strong>Quest for Happiness<strong>

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><p><strong>I<strong>

_**.ANNABETH.**_

Annabeth Chase rummaged through her evening purse for her car keys as she walked the paved sidewalk towards her vehicle. She was running late, nothing unusual there, because she hadn't the heart to leave her precious blueprints on a multi million dollar structure unfinished when she was at the final stages of design.

She knew Jason Grace and Piper McLean would kill her if she missed their rehearsal dinner, after numerous reminders, and so Annabeth had dressed in her office as best she could while fiddling with the designs on her laptop. The blonde haired demigod thanked the Gods that she was blessed with the wisdom to carry her change of clothes for the evening to work that day.

However, trying to dress herself while her grey eyes were focused on her laptop and her mind was thinking about structures ahead of where her one unoccupied hand was, proved to be a difficult feat for Annabeth.

Which was probably why she had shimmied half way into her dress before it stuck around her hips and she realised she had put the damn thing on the wrong way. Annabeth's dressing disaster also included falling when the wheeled chair she had been leaning on while trying to put on her ridiculous heels decided to roll away from her, no doubt finding her flailing hilarious.

Annabeth had then lost most of her hairpins while trying to coax her tresses into a half decent style, something she had never been good with, and so her blonde hair was now a mess of waves curling all around. The worst thing for the demigod Architect though, was sloshing a cup of stale coffee all over a document that Jason had already signed for her. An important piece of paper she needed to send through first thing tomorrow morning. So she had to re-print the document so she could get Jason to add his signature to it.

Annabeth knew Piper would not be pleased that the blonde demigod was bringing over work to the rehearsal dinner, however, considering she and Jason were getting married tomorrow, Annabeth couldn't afford for the document not to be signed. Graceful Architecture was a high standing, professional business after all and they never wavered. Besides, Piper should at least appreciate Annabeth not slotting in the document for signing while Jason was busy on their marriage licence tomorrow.

Annabeth's smirk faded on her lips as she cursed, "Shit."

There was paper, half eaten snack bars, gum wrappers, a dozen different coloured pens and even an imperial gold dagger sheathed in her bag, but no car keys. The grey eyed woman sucked on her upper teeth as she took in a deep breath and tried to find the damn thing.

"Gotcha." Annabeth crowed in victory as she happily made her way towards her car.

For a well organised mind, Annabeth struggled to keep her handbags or purses in order. They were her Achilles heel, unfortunately. Also, ever since opening up Graceful A with Jason, she had become so obsessed with her work that she barely had time for anything else now.

So, she also wasn't very pleased to be attending another wedding. Those things always made her feel as if she was a workaholic – which she was, but she didn't appreciate it being unintentionally rubbed in her face – and that she hadn't had a proper date in years. On the bright side, logic never failed her, so the daughter of Athena told herself that this upcoming nuptial was killing two friends with one stone.

Upon pressing the opening lock on her keys, Annabeth looked up and her eyes caught a sight of untidy black hair and broad shoulders across the street. Her heart immediately started to pick up speed and her stomach started to feel like lead had dropped into it. Annabeth's steps faltered slightly. The man across the road lifted up his dark head from staring at his mobile and she released a breath she had not realised she had been holding.

Chastising herself, Annabeth jumped into her car and locked the doors as was her habit now. She gripped her steering wheel with both hands and leaned back against the car seat.

She told herself that not everyone with black hair was her ex boyfriend, but she also knew why her mind – and unfortunately her heart – was reacting to every dark haired man she saw this week. Because he would be there tonight. Jason and Piper were just as much his friends as they were hers. The engaged couple would kill him if he didn't show as well. Although Annabeth knew that for all the occasions that he had missed, he would not be absent from an event as big as this. She may not know much else about him of late, but she knew that much for certain.

While busy in her office, as always, lost in her work, Annabeth had been able to forget her nerves over seeing him at the rehearsal dinner tonight. Now however, just a mop of black hair had her acting like a doe caught in head lights.

She, a daughter of the Goddess of wisdom, an independent woman of twenty-six years old. Annabeth who had defeated giants and crazy Goddesses, a young girl who had drank form the Phlegeton river and was blind for a period of time, should definitely be able to deal with seeing her ex boyfriend.

Even if that boy was Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon, idolised hero, slayer of titans, her first love, etcetera, etcetera …

Annabeth closed her haunted grey eyes for a moment as she leaned her blonde head back. She felt emotions well inside of her, ones that she had not felt for a very long time since pushing them away. The last time she had seen him had been at another wedding, four years ago.

Percy had been scruffy and looked like he had lost a lot of weight. All the muscles that had been worked unasked into him at sixteen, from all the battles he had been in, seemed like it had been eaten away.

His hair had been shaggier than ever and she had not once seen his lips curve into a real smile. Again, Annabeth knew that had it been anything but a wedding, and not that of Frank Zhang's and Hazel Levesque's where he was asked to be best man, Percy would have not attended.

She herself had managed that wedding because a part of her had been longing to see Percy. Her wounds had still been fresh, bleeding, her anger still raw and directed solely at him, but the guilt had been all hers. For that alone, accepting her part in it, she had desperately wanted to run to him and hug him. Just to assure herself that he was fine. However, pride – her fatal flaw – and stubbornness, combined with Percy's indifferent attitude towards her that evening, had fiercely held Annabeth back.

After he had left New Rome, following their graduation from senior year, and after their nasty break up, no one had seen Percy for years. Annabeth knew that he kept in contact with Jason, Hazel and Frank, yet she had been hurt that he had not once tried to contact her. Or even replied to the message that she had sent him.

When Percy had only given her a perfunctory greeting, so cold even the ice goddess Khione would have been proud of it, Annabeth had been crushed. She was not able to tell, even today, how she had managed to blink back her stupid tears and give him a restrained smile.

"It's good to see you." That was what she had said to him. After which she would kick herself for days, for that stupid line.

It had seemed polite and friendly at the time, something that didn't mean "I missed you so much" or "Where have you been?" or worse, "Why haven't you replied to my message?" Instead his green eyes, once so warm and glowing, pierced her, icily and shuttered. So closed of was Percy Jackson, her friend for eight years, her boyfriend for three, that he became a stranger to her.

His reply had strangled Annabeth's heart. "Is it?" He had asked and Annabeth would forever be grateful for the demigod who had unintentionally bumped into her from behind that day.

While she had been jerked forward, it had caused her to spill her drink on Percy's rumpled shirt. Annabeth had tired to apologise to him, but for some reason she hadn't. She had been internally pleased that she had mistakenly thrown her drink on him while he stood so casually and unmoved before her.

Standing there as if they hadn't been through Tartarus and back together, hadn't saved each other on numerous occasions, dealt with deadly monsters together … as if they had never meant something to each other before. As if all their problems were entirely her fault.

Annabeth shook her head in the present. Giving herself a stern "no", she reminded herself that dwelling on things which had already past only kept her from moving forward. She would not be sucked into that crushing vortex that no longer held a place in her life.

She wished that she could renege on being Piper's bridesmaid, she hated that she had no choice but to be paired with Percy. Frank refused to take his eyes off a very pregnant Hazel, ever the doting husband. If it wasn't so romantic, Annabeth might have rebuffed that kind of behaviour. Thalia refused to swap Leo for Percy with her.

"They're not Mythomagic cards, Anna banana." Thalia had said sternly when Annabeth had spoken to her best friend last. "Besides, I can't go the whole torturous event would out being able to laugh."

"Percy has a sense of humour too." Annabeth had said, his name still having a bit of a sticky effect in her throat.

Thalia had laughed. "No, he doest. Have you seen him lately, all dark and brooding."

"No, I haven't actually." Annabeth felt the familiar sting of knowing that one of her friends had seen him when she hadn't. That was the downside of sharing all the same friends. Friends who had become family, and you couldn't stop being family with friends.

The awkward silence that followed was enough to make Annabeth bid Thalia good bye. Now Annabeth was stuck with standing directly opposite Percy throughout an entire wedding ceremony.

She would have to walk down the isle with her hand in Percy's, be close enough to smell him again …

Annabeth would have to sit next to him through an entire five course meal and worse … dance with him.

"Stop it!" Annabeth chided herself sternly.

She opened her eyes again and vanished all images of Percy Jackson from her mind. She placed her keys in the ignition and started her car, making sure her lights were on and herself safely buckled in. Annabeth drove off, using the drive to don on the mask she wore with employees now.

A detached air surrounded her, like the expensive perfume she wore, strength poured into her as she pictured going into battle against a six foot tall giant, her nerves started to relax as she reminded herself that it was only two evenings. It was simply another clash that she could get through.

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><p>As it happened, Percy had not been present at the rehearsal dinner that night. While Piper and Hazel gave her side long glances of concern, which made Annabeth grip her fork tighter and suck on her upper teeth to avoid snapping at them, she heard Jason reassure Frank that the wonderful Percy Jackson had promised he would be at the wedding.<p>

Her nerves were wrought. Annabeth was as tightly wound as a spring and she knew she had to wait to get home to rid herself of all the anger and hurt surrounding her. She tried to remember that she had vowed never to let a man affect her the way Percy had. And the way he had, had been a long time ago.

Annabeth moved the floaty organza to the side so she could peep past it and admire the décor that made up the garden venue for Jason and Piper's wedding.

Blood red organza draped thick stone pillars of deep brown, glowing gold roses bunched together to accentuate the rich colours, holding the magnificent décor together as it sat upon healthy green fauna and bathed in the orange dusks of the day.

"Annabeth." The blonde haired demigod looked over her shoulder to see the groom's sister wearing an exasperated expression as the girl called to her. "We need to get dressed before the guests arrive." Thalia reminded her.

Annabeth nodded. "I'll be right there." She said as she made a shooing gesture with the back of one hand. The dark haired hunter huffed, shook her head and ran off.

Annabeth was still in a pair of old jeans and faded t-shirt, her hair and make-up not yet done, but the temptation of getting a sneak peak into Piper's wedding décor was too much to resist. When the grey eyed woman took in her fill, she turned around hurriedly and made to dash back to the lodge the bridal party was situated in, when she ran smack dab into someone.

Strong hands steadied her. The smile on her lips faltered and the apology she was about to spew died on her tongue.

Of all the people in the world, she just had to run straight into Percy Jackson. Annabeth pictured how the three old fates must be laughing at her now. Annabeth regained her bearings as Percy helped her stay on her feet. While she looked at him, she realised that he had changed. If it hadn't been for those sea green eyes, his familiar sea scent and the way his hands made her skin tingle, she would almost not have guessed it was him.

He had changed in the four years since she had seen him last. He was slightly taller, broader, and … different.

His thick black hair was cropped short, settling around his head in silky strands that looked more fashionable than unruly now. Annabeth could see the few strands of grey hair he had been awarded for carrying the sky at fourteen. Yet it made him look all the more distinguished and not weird.

Annabeth realised she was marvelling at him as if he were some complex but beautiful architectural design. Her eyes met his and his warm breath fanned across her face making her realise that she was still standing with his hands around both her arms. Close to Percy.

She immediately stepped back from his hold. He released her and Annabeth felt an odd sense of bitterness wash over her at this. Percy didn't speak, his eyes simply staring at her, but she caught the way his fists clenched at his sides, obviously wishing he was anywhere but there, with her then.

"Sorry." Annabeth muttered, unsure what exactly she was apologising for.

"At least you didn't spill wine all over me this time." His voice was deeper but still his. His sense of humour still present but neither of those made Annabeth any less confused and tense.

"I have to go." Before he said anything else, she dashed off. He didn't try to stop her and she was a little disappointed that he hadn't. Then she scolded herself for feeling so inappropriately.

In a way, she was pleased that she had bumped into Percy before the ceremony began. Or she might have been so startled by his change of appearance that she would have tripped with her high heels and the ridiculously long train to her bridesmaid dress. Once safely beside Hazel, Annabeth studied him further, surreptitiously beneath a hooded gaze.

The cut of his suit hugged his body perfectly and Annabeth could not deny that Percy had grown up into a devastating man. He had been scruffy and unkempt at Frank and Hazel's wedding, but still with his underlying power that always made him seem formidable when he wanted to be, now though, he seemed like a completely different person.

There was a hint of a smile on his firm lips yet she could see what Thalia meant when the hunter had said that Percy was all dark and brooding now. He was more composed, more masculine and Annabeth didn't know how she felt about that change in him. A transformation she had not been apart of.

A resounding sound, like a call to something great resounded around them and the voices became louder as all the guests looked around. Annabeth was no exception and she gazed down the isle to see Piper on the arm of her father. There was something entrancing about the moment.

Piper was a vision. Annabeth realised that no words could truly describe how the daughter of Aphrodite looked on her wedding day. She glided down the isle like a beautiful swan, her slim fitting ivory dress moving hypnotically with every step she took. There were blazing red Cherokee designs around the waist and train of Piper's dress though and it was a spectacular addition to an otherwise simple ensemble. Annabeth felt silly for thinking that her own train had been too long. Piper's could have easily made a second dress, with some to spare.

Annabeth's friend was gorgeous. Her dark locks were swept up with one thick, red and gold feather in the centre of it all. Piper's smile was so radiant that everyone present could not help but react positively to it. Like a happier emotional reaction to Charmspeak.

The ceremony was somewhat exotic and truly engrossing that Annabeth was thankful for it. Her eyes rarely strayed to Percy.

That did not last long however. Jason gave Piper a leg popping kiss that had everyone cheering and white doves soaring into the sky, seemingly out of nowhere. Annabeth smiled hopelessly as she realised that that must have been Aphrodite's doing. As if conjuring the goddess from her thoughts, Annabeth's gaze caught a human sized Aphrodite at the back of the crowd, winking at Piper, who mouthed a teary thank you to her mother before the goddess of love vanished.

When Jason escorted his new wife down the raised stage, Annabeth carefully stepped towards the middle, where Percy stood waiting for her. Even after all the years gone by, he still made her heart gallop like a wild Pegasus. It was silly and it frustrated her to no end.

They stood face to face. After what seemed like sometime too long, Annabeth felt strange, awkward before him now. She realised belatedly that it was because she hardly knew him any longer. He had changed, not just physically, but in a way that even Annabeth couldn't explain. And as much as it hurt her, it also left her feeling a little less tense at their situation. As if he was nothing but a passing acquaintance now, her past with him non-existent. Annabeth idly wondered if that was how Percy saw her now as well. If that was what made him so immune to her.

"Hi." He said softly, as if there wasn't a swirling storm brewing between them.

"Hey." Annabeth managed and apparently he needed no more. He offered her a crooked arm and Annabeth nodded, unsure if she was telling him that she accepted his hand or if she was bracing herself to take it.

Her palm felt tiny and inconsequential nestled in the crook of his arm, and even through the stiff well tailored suit, she felt his muscles flex beneath her hand. Annabeth resisted the urge to clench her fingers and lifted her head high, walking swiftly down the isle towards the dinning area for the evening.

Percy pulled out her chair for her on the main table and Annabeth was almost about to say, "Never thought you could be such a gentlemen, Seaweed Brain."

However the amused glint – the first sign of any kind of emotion Percy had shown her for seven years – in his flinty green eyes, as if he knew exactly what she had been thinking, made Annabeth bite her tongue and sit down with a polite thank you.

It was torture. Sitting next to Percy, the cool scent of the sea invading her senses, his cheerful conversation with Frank and Hazel made her feel ridiculously left out. Even though Hazel and Frank involved her in their conversation Annabeth wanted to churlishly demand that Percy be the one to enquire about her well being. It stung that he hadn't even gazed at her since they had sat down.

Leo Valdez' speech was a reprieve. "Jason and Piper have been two of the best friends we could ever have asked for. They were understanding, always there for us and everything a hero should be like."

Many of the demigods in attendance smiled broadly at the pun. Annabeth felt the tension ease from her shoulders as Leo's humour washed over her as well. Leo always had a way of lightening up even the dreariest of situations. She was eternally grateful that she and all her friends had not had to mourn him forever. Leo had built his way to them before a year of his "death" had passed and it had made the heroes of Olympus feel whole again. United, no longer with a gaping chasm hanging between them, restricting them from moving forward.

Yet his return with Calypso in tow, had only given Annabeth a flitting feeling of relief as her problems with Percy slowly started to eat away at her and eventually at her relationship with him. They were young and naïve, thinking that real life could not be as difficult as killing monsters and defeating psycho goddesses. It had turned out to be worse, more difficult, leaving them helpless with no proper way of dealing with what had happened.

"It wasn't always easy for Jason and Pipes." The amount of emotion in Leo's voice touched all their friends. Annabeth realised then that it hadn't been easy for any of them. As couples they had all had their fair share of overcoming and dealing to do.

Hazel and Frank, the most stable couple anyone knew had had issues. Piper and Jason had come close to splitting apart once, but had found their way back to each other. Leo had to die before he met Calypso again, and even then they had had adjustment to make. Tonight though, seeing Calypso sitting across from Leo, her normally withdrawn eyes glowing with pride and love for him, spoke volumes to Annabeth.

They had worked past their issues and yet Annabeth and Percy, of all the couples, had fell part. They had crumbled from the inside out, tearing each other apart and leaving the other to cope in the wake of the destruction alone. This made the blonde daughter of Athena faintly envious over her other friends. She and Percy hadn't made it.

"They would never have made it without the great Valdez between them, of course." Laughter followed this as Leo mock bowed. His expression took on a rare moment of mature seriousness then, something he had grown into. "There were times when everything they had shared seemed like it had never really happened in the first place." Annabeth focused on Leo's words again. "Like it was nothing but a lie, a fleeting memory that you weren't allowed to keep." She frowned as Leo looked pointedly at her for a moment, but told herself that he was merely addressing the entire crowd.

"However, they never gave up on each other, they always stood by one another and here they are." Everyone lifted their glasses to this and Leo nodded his dark head before holding up his free hand to show that he wasn't yet done.

"I'm not saying that marriage ensures happy every single day, or that their wont be any problems in the future, but what I _am_ certain off, is that these two, they can overcome anything now. To Jason and Piper Grace."

Short and sweet but to the point. Everyone stood and cheered for the newly married couple.

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><p>Annabeth knew that she could not <em>not<em> dance with Percy, as he was her partner for the evening but she consoled herself with the fact that as long as she did her one obligatory dance with him, she would not be asked to torture herself any longer.

When he stood up tall, looming over her, Annabeth immediately rose, not appreciating feeling small compared to him. As if reading her thoughts he gave her one of his indecent smirks, those lopsided grins of his that had always made him so attractive and endearing.

Annabeth placed her palm in Percy's large one, his long and strong fingers curled around hers, green eyes staring right into hers. He tugged her forward and when they were on the dance floor, he curved his arms around her. Embracing her with warmth and a familiar, nostalgic feeling.

For a brief moment she felt sixteen again. Sure in Percy's feelings for her, loved and happy. Even with all that they had been through, even while awoken from nightmares in a screaming, sweaty disoriented mess, Percy's warm arms were always strong and reassuring, his whispers against her temple making her feel loved – unconditionally.

Annabeth wanted to weep for her past but that wasn't really her style. She always bore her burdens all on her own. For a short time she had trusted that she could lean on Percy, they would help each other, but it hadn't lasted. They had drifted apart, forgotten how they were, how they should be, could have been and instead, pushed each other away.

They had been dealing with demons. Some shared, some of their own. It hadn't been an easy time. The feelings Tartarus had burdened them with had only bubbled and boiled inside of them, pushing its way up until they could no longer contain it. At first they had stifled the experience to fight in the final battle with Gaea. Then there had been the stress of making decisions and completing their senior year.

Again everything was pushed aside. Until New Rome. Until homesickness and fear came forth at the place where both their journeys had begun at. Threatening to swallow them whole. In turn, they had sacrificed their relationship. They had let go of each other to carry themselves ashore, to safety.

In hindsight, maybe it had been for the best. Annabeth had refused to examine everything that had gone so badly wrong between Percy and her before, but maybe letting go had been the best thing for them both. Annabeth hadn't realised that she had relaxed in Percy's hold until he stiffened. Her cheek was pressed intimately against his chest and immediately she whipped her head away.

"The song's over." He told her and Annabeth concluded that he was right, it was over and maybe this was just the closure that she needed.

She nodded and watched his jaw unclench as she stepped away from his hold. It seemed like Percy couldn't quite hide every mannerism that gave him away to her after all. Giving him a full, if somewhat rusty smile, Annabeth walked away from him … again.

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><p><em><strong>.PERCY.<strong>_

Perseus Jackson watched as Annabeth Chase walked away from him. Again. The sight of her graceful back presented to him stirred up something in him that he refused to identify.

He walked back to his table, choosing to sit and watch the people he hadn't seen in a while, as he kept one eye on Annabeth. She had changed, physically the differences she exuded were very visible to him, yet they also seemed to highlight how much she was still the same as well.

Her steely eyes, lemony scent and thick blonde hair were all the things that had haunted his dreams for years. It had been worse than his nightmares about monsters or raving goddesses. However, he had persevered, moving away from the one thing that had made him the happiest and unhappiest all at the same time and Percy always came back to Reyna's words, the advice she had given him, taken from the hunter Orion.

"No one can hate you with more intensity than someone who used to love you." Reyna had explained.

He hadn't understood it until Annabeth had began to push him away. Until he had allowed her to do just that. He had failed her and she had walked away from him for it. They had hurt each other, something Percy had never thought they would do to one another.

Yet life had never been easy for him and he had been naïve to think that just because he had fought evil giants and raging monsters in a war, just because he was a demigod, that he could handle normal life easily. That all his human troubles would be nothing compared to what he had already been through.

Percy had been wrong. He couldn't slash through his problems and vaporize them with out thinking twice about it, there were dastardly after effects to feel, to deal with. He wasn't able to run from them either, and for the first time he had been overwhelmed, lost. He and Annabeth had had no logical solution to any of their issues back then. The pain, the guilt, the want to always help – his fatal flaw – had eventually overtaken him, consumed him and left him feeling helpless.

He had never felt that way before. Not until Tartarus. He should have listened to Sally Jackson. His mother was one of the wisest people he knew. Annabeth and he had needed counselling, they had needed someone else to talk to. However they had been teenagers, thinking that they knew everything now that they were invincible, that they had seen it all.

And maybe they had, when it came to monsters and battle, they were physically strong and built well, yet emotionally … emotionally they had not been prepared to deal with the onslaught of post traumatic stress that eventually caught up to them. There had been no easy escape from that.

At first it had been easy to push it away, focus on being so busy at rebuilding, yet when it came time to settle down, time to let go, they hadn't known how to.

Percy had learned better though, even Annabeth had, that much was clear to him. They weren't children anymore. They were grown adults, and yet there were some things that you could not go back from.

Some distances were too far to bridge, some wounds ran too deep to heal. In trying to come together, Percy and Annabeth had only ripped each other further apart. For only the second time in his life, he had been drowning, struggling to keep afloat, unable to breathe underwater. And just like the first time, it was because of the bitterness and poison of the water he had been surrounded in.

When Percy had left, that had been the breaking point that both he and Annabeth had needed to become better people. To build themselves into whom they really wanted to be, who they were meant to be. Something they had never been able to do while demanding more from each other, a more neither was able to give without personally falling apart.

"You okay?" Percy only nodded as he had already sensed Frank pulling up a chair next to him. He kept his green eyes on Annabeth as she danced with Chuck, or more like as she gently swung Chuck's hands from side to side while she stepped in circles with the hidden hoofed satyr child.

"Thanks, man." Percy said sincerely. He may not want or need to talk about the past any longer, but he was still touched that Frank could tell how much it still affected him. Most of his friends could, Percy was fine with that, as long as Annabeth couldn't see it.

Their separation had been hell, worse than walking through Tartarus. Percy did not want to think what a second round of that pain would be like. He would not stand by and watch Annabeth, the strongest girl he knew, break apart in front of him again.

"Hazel and I have wanted to do this for a long time, Percy, but I wanted to do it in person. Not via Iris message."

This got Percy's attention. "Yeah?" He turned around in his chair to look at his friend.

"Hazel and I want you to be our baby's Godfather." Frank was not short of confidence in himself any longer, yet he was still somewhat of a shy man and he always thought of other peoples' feelings first. He would never want to inconvenience another or put anyone in an uncomfortable position. "Only if you're alright with that I mean."

Percy found himself genuinely smiling after a very long time. "Of course, man. I'll be honoured." He swung his arm around Frank's shoulders and they embraced each other like brothers.

That was when Hazel waddled over. Her large belly only made her look more like a woman though. There was nothing unattractive about a pregnant Hazel – which was lucky for Frank, Percy had heard that pregnant woman could be drakon scary. Hazel placed her hand on Percy's, the one around Frank's shoulders. Percy stood and embraced her, kissing her cheek as he whispered his acceptance to her as well.

Percy had not felt this invigorated in years, as if he had a new purpose now. "I'll teach the kid lots of things." Percy said proudly, already feeling an overwhelming amount of love for the unborn child.

It was strange that Percy wasn't in the least burdened or fearful about being given such a huge responsibility, but he suspected that being a cool uncle would be an experience he could handle.

"Which means you'll have to be around more often." Hazel said sternly but slyly and Percy grinned at her.

"Actually, I plan on moving back home."

"You're coming back to New Rome?" Frank could barely contain the glee in his voice, as he shared a shocked but hopeful look with Hazel.

That was when Percy truly realised that he had made the right decision after all. Frank assuming that Percy meant New Rome when he spoke about home instantly sealed his decision for him.

He felt lighter than he had felt the entire evening. As if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Percy didn't think it would be very easy to face all his demons back at New Rome, but he knew that he was ready.


	2. Chapter 2

**Quest for Happiness**

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><p><strong>II<strong>

_**.PERCY.**_

Percy stood outside the Pomerian lines, watching the beautiful city of New Rome from just outside its limits.

His hands deep in his pockets, the Greek demigod stood back as the setting sun bathed the city in a golden hue. It was such a stunning sight that Percy immediately felt a sense of completeness at arriving home, again. Many people lived in one place all their lives, some moved around a lot, but when a place gave you a sense of unconditional belonging, then that was definitely home.

It was odd that from his very first visit to New Rome – even without his memory intact and inhabiting a life filled with a personal dissonance – Percy had imagined making his home right here.

The tiled roofs and gold domes gleamed welcomingly at him, honeysuckle and roses permeated the air surrounding the City's limits, all making Percy want to get closer to his destination. He closed his green eyes and tilted his strong chin out so he could simply revel in that moment of coming home, returning, for good this time.

With his heart light and happy after a very long time, his lungs craving more, Percy walked forwards. He came across the muscular life sized statue of Terminus.

The handless God of boundaries irritated scowl was still present on his carved face, though his stone lids remained closed, Terminus did not miss a beat.

"You're back." The statue grunted without opening its marble made eyes.

Percy grinned. As much as Terminus pretended that Percy annoyed him, like all the other two handed legionnaires did, Percy knew better. The dark haired Greek demigod had long since earned Terminus' respect. More so after Percy and the God had killed Polybotes together when the ugly giant had broke Terminus' body and crossed the Pomerian line with weapons in tow.

"It's good to see you, Terminus." Percy said without any sarcasm or humour. Even seeing the God of boundaries – and Percy didn't think too much of limits and restrictions – pleased him. Therefore he held back any comments about offering Terminus a handshake in greeting.

Terminus grunted and then cracked one eye open to peek at Percy. "You've cut your hair. Good." One of the very first things Terminus had ordered Percy to do was cut his hair and wear pants above the ankles. After looking at Percy, Terminus looked a little less annoyed to be awoken. "And shorter pants. Mmm, your weapon?"

Percy took out Riptide from his right pocket and showed it to Terminus with a grin, before dropping it without argument into the God's tray.

With a satisfied grunt, not liking anyone who argued with his rules, Terminus gruffly said, "Good to see you back. She'll be pleased."

With a green eyed wink, Percy walked into New Rome. Reyna might not be as pleased as Terminus thought she would be to see him. Percy had not given the Roman Praetor a time of arrival and Reyna was not one for surprises. Percy had not wanted a fuss to be made over his return though. He had simply wanted time to come home and take in everything by himself. It was just something he felt like doing.

Percy walked passed a few chariots going down the street, loving the feel of the cobbled earth beneath his sneakers again. The warm air beat down on his skin and he took the familiar route to his villa. As if he hadn't been gone for seven years.

He hadn't bothered with bringing over any personal items as he did not feel up to being encumbered with luggage on his first day back. Also, Reyna had assured him that all his old stuff was still at his place. Percy was touched that they had maintained the place for him all these years.

Everyone had constantly told him he would always have a home to come back to. Whether it was his mom and Paul's, Camp Half-Blood or New Rome, Percy would forever belong. Only it was heartening to know that his Roman counterparts had actually kept a place for him. Not like a house that was only there because he was the son of Poseidon, but a regular home that was simply just for him. It was a concept Percy wondered if people would understand, but it was the way he felt nonetheless.

Percy and Annabeth had arrived at Camp Jupiter after they had graduated high school, and instead of being made to live with all the other demigods at camp, they had been honorarily allowed to reside in New Rome. The council had been so overwhelmed with Percy and Annabeth's accomplishments in defeating Gaea, that it was easy to forget about it being their blood which had awoken the Earth Mother in the first place.

Percy spun the key ring around his index finger as he stepped towards the wooden door of his villa. The white marble and red roof already filling him with comfort and familiarity. Percy missed the sounds of Mrs O'Leary's barks and her shaggy bulldozer frame coming to welcome him home upon arrival. He wondered if she'd be willing to leave Camp Half-Blood again now that he was back in New Rome. He took in a deep breath and slotted in his key.

Once his foot crossed the threshold Percy immediately swelled with the feeling of belonging. For all the painful memories the place held, no other building had ever given him this sense of rightness before. Admittedly, he had not yet pinpointed why exactly that was.

Percy turned around to shut the door, humming softly to fill in the empty darkness that he had stepped through as he knew the moment he switched on the lights, he would come face to face with everything that he had left behind.

Percy quietened and inhaled deeply, a familiar lemony scent still lingered around the place. Just before Percy could turn around, his head was clubbed forward with such force that his forehead thudded against the door like a brass knocker. His eyes rolled back as he lost consciousness before he felt his descent to meet hard floor.

* * *

><p>Percy slowly lifted heavy eyelids and his vision was slightly blurred as he tried to focus on his surroundings. The soft dips of cushion, moulding to his body nicely, keeping him comfortable, did nothing to hasten his consciousness into returning to full working mode.<p>

He blinked a few times to rid himself of his spotty vision and the first thing he noticed was the familiar inwards curve of the ceiling, held with lined pillars. He was back in New Rome. Percy remembered the hit over his head, the throbbing pain at the back of his skull belatedly confirming his thoughts, and he immediately shot up from lying down.

"Whoa." Percy's head turned around as small hands pushed back at his shoulders. The pain that immediately laced through his head told him that that hadn't been the wisest thing to do. A zesty lemon scent wafted trough his nostrils.

Percy's eyes immediately became more focused as Annabeth's grey eyes widened in concern before him. Percy resisted her pushing and gently wrapped his hand around her wrist, making sure she was really there and he hadn't hit his head so hard that he was now hallucinating.

"Annabeth?" His voice was groggy and if he wasn't seeing things, he really hoped he hadn't been drooling in front of Annabeth while unconscious – again. Then something clicked back into place in Percy's aching head and his brain started to function properly again. "You hit me?" He queried in disbelief.

He watched as Annabeth gently placed a dainty palm on his hand, unwrapping his fingers from around her wrist and sending a trail of warmth up his arm as she did so. Percy straightened and noticed that he was sitting on a couch. The very same couch that had sat in his lounge from seven years ago. Reaching behind him, Percy felt for the lump that he was sure his head would be sporting.

"I'm so sorry, Percy. I didn't know what to expect since it's the first time someone's broke in." Annabeth said uneasily.

"I had a key. I did not break in." Percy complained.

"I really am sorry, Percy." She did sound very apologetic, and considering she didn't apologise easily, Percy knew she was being sincere.

"Why though?" Percy could not completely keep the irritation from his voice as Annabeth came to stand above him, pressing something cold against his head. "What are you even doing here?"

Annabeth didn't answer him but Percy felt her hands momentarily still against his head from previously rubbing soothing circles around his lump. After a brief moment, she continued her gentle ministrations and Percy closed his eyes again. Allowing himself a soft groan of satisfaction he let Annabeth continue with her task at hand.

Feeling Annabeth's hand jerk against his head Percy's eyes shot opened. He moved away from Annabeth so he could look over at her properly. "Thanks." He said, extending a hand for the ice cloth she was holding.

She nodded her blonde head, the lights above them making it look like she was wearing a halo. Annabeth placed the cloth in his hands and Percy did not fail to notice that she made an effort to keep her fingers from brushing against his.

She shuffled from one bear foot to the other, tugging her small sleeping shirt lower over the creamy expanse of midriff Percy had not realised had been visible until then. Annabeth then smoothed down her short shorts and Percy couldn't help but follow the action, down to her long and shapely legs. He looked away and moved further down the sofa, motioning with his head for her to sit down. All her awkwardness was making his ADHD worse.

The last thing Percy wanted her to feel was uncomfortable around him. He just wanted them to move forward from their past. Even if not as friends, but as two people who accepted that they would always be apart of the others' life.

Percy used Annabeth's silence to look around the home they had once made their own. They had been advised against moving in together after school, warned against the decision by many well intentioned people. However, lots of college students lived together, was what they had said. They were friends, Percy and Annabeth were a couple, what could go wrong? Only everything.

Refusing to dwell on the moments that had turned his safe haven into a bitter place, Percy's eyes swept around the dimly lit lounge he was in. The same fire grate stood at one end, the very same shell shaped lamps stood at the corners they had always stood in, dancing soft light across the large white rug at the centre of the rounded room. The carpet hadn't changed either, and neither had all the furniture.

There were more photo frames now, he noticed, and odd bits and bobs added around as if collected through the years. Percy's dark head whipped around as his thoughts sunk in, his sea green eyes resting on Annabeth. His gaze roamed over her clothing before settling on her blanched face. He knew the moment that their eyes met, that his thoughts were right.

Forgetting that he was a grown man Percy stuttered like a twelve year old boy. "You … you're …" Flinching at how lame he sounded, Percy took in a deep breath and stared at her. "You're still living here?"

He knew that was the only possible explanation, yet Annabeth's confirming nod made Percy rear away from her in complete shock.

"Whoa." He said as he ran a hand through his hair, trying to digest that bit of information as best he could in such short notice. He then turned to look back at her. He wasn't sure exactly what he should say to that. He had never thought that she would come back. Not after confessing how much she had hated it here. "Why?" He couldn't help but ask, after everything she had said, put them through, he needed to know.

Annabeth looked at her hands on her lap. Percy could hear the cogs in her brain working, ordering her thoughts neatly before she spoke, and it annoyed him.

"Jason asked me to help him with the designs for the temples he promised to build for all the minor Gods and Goddesses. Piper and he were having some issues about how much travel he was doing, going back and forth. It became a little difficult with her motivational speaking and all the travelling she herself was doing. They kept missing each other a lot of the times when she was at Camp Half-Blood. It started to take a strain on them." Annabeth explained, only then looking up at Percy. "Since this place was still ou– … available, it made more sense for me to oversee things here so Jason didn't have to do all that much of moving. That's how we started Graceful A, you know."

"I'm aware of most of that, Annabeth. I just didn't know you would, you know, chose to live here of all places." Percy stared intently at her.

She shrugged her slight shoulders. "I'm surprised not one of our friends mentioned it to you. Not even Reyna or Frank?" Annabeth asked with a slight frown.

"No." Percy shook his head, his eyes still focused on her lovely face. Reyna had only told him that the place was being maintained and that he could return anytime he wanted to. He really did need to have a talk with all his _friends_.

"Well, I guess they didn't want to bring it up." Annabeth reasoned. "Or you never thought to ask." She bit her lip then and Percy knew she had not meant to blurt those bitter words out.

Percy glared at her and was pleased to see her cheeks pinken. "I asked, Annabeth." He contradicted. "Of course I asked about how you were." He released his anger at her words through a sigh, wondering if that's how she really felt, as if he hadn't cared at all.

"Oh." Was apparently all she could manage.

"I guess where you were living never came up, since I just assumed that you would go back to Camp Half-Blood"

"I did." Annabeth replied.

Percy looked at her for a long while. "Jason and Piper weren't all you came back here for, was it?"

She had never lied to him before. Annabeth may have chosen not to tell him things in the beginning, for how independent and prideful she was, but she had never, not once, lied to him.

It was a huge comfort after everything they had been through and Percy was glad that he knew he could always count on Annabeth for honesty. She would always be truthful with him. Even if it hurt them both in the end.

"No." She agreed softly, avoiding his eyes. Then she sprang up from the couch as if she couldn't sit still for another second. "But it doesn't matter any longer." She made to walk away but Percy instinctively caught her wrist.

She whipped around to glare at him; blonde hair flying all around her menacing face and Percy couldn't help but smile in that moment. Seeing a feisty, fiery Annabeth again, grey eyes narrowed and full, pink lips pursed, made something inside of him spring to life in that deadened cavity where his heart used to be.

"It matters to me." Percy stood too, not releasing her hand as he continued to hold it between them. Annabeth didn't move. Percy looked down at her, her grey eyes stormy. "Gods, Annabeth, after everything that's happened, you came back here when even I couldn't do it. Why? How?"

She bit her bottom lip again and Percy had to fight hard against the want to brush the pouty flesh free from her teeth. Yet he didn't think she would appreciate such an intimate gesture from him and he knew that it would be highly inappropriate for him to do so. He was no longer her boyfriend, her lover.

"I … " Annabeth looked away from him, shifting her weight from one foot to another, moving a stray lock of blonde hair from her rosy cheek with her free hand as she obviously struggled to find the right words. She looked down pointedly at his fingers around her wrist and Percy realised that her fist was clenched so tightly her knuckles had gone white. He immediately dropped her hand, his fingers flexing of their own accord, as if rebuking his release on her.

Giving her some time, as well as himself, to recollect her thoughts, Percy turned around to look at the pictures on the mantelpiece above their fireplace. With his back to Annabeth, he missed the way she exhaled heavily and quickly squeezed her beautiful grey eyes shut.

Percy looked at the photo of the seven members of the Argo II, the heroes who had been apart of a prophecy that would be remembered for decades to come, forever captured in one moment of time. It had been a happier period in their lives. After Gaea's defeat and Leo's return, that picture had been a celebration of their lives, after everything they had been through.

Percy picked up the shiny metal frame and smiled reminiscently as he saw his arm had been slung around Annabeth's shoulders. They had been looking at each other as if they couldn't get enough of one another, laughing at a ridiculous joke Leo had made, sharing the joy with their friends but also something only between them both as well.

Feeling uncomfortable with his thoughts, Percy gently placed the frame back down and turned to look at Annabeth. She watched him with sad eyes, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"I wanted to come back because I didn't want to blame myself for everything." She blurted out. "After you left and hadn't replied to my letter, I wanted to blame everything on you, be angry at you for leaving. It allowed me to hold on to my pride. _I_ had come back, _I_ had stayed."

Percy grit his teeth at that. He was frustrated that Annabeth would still try to hold onto her pride after everything her very pride had ruined. He was angry that she would come back just to place all the guilt on him. However, he was also torn at feeling as if he had abandoned her. Because she was right, he had left. Left her.

If he had stayed, if he hadn't gone gallivanting all around America, and she had returned, would they have worked things out? Percy mentally shook his head. He refused to think of that now, not only was it useless to do so, but because he also knew that he had left to give Annabeth and himself the time and space to heal, without continuously being bombarded with the feelings of pain being around each other would undoubtedly bring forth.

Yet through the years, as he had examined his decisions more closely, Percy had realised that his actions hadn't been all that selfless. _He_ hadn't been able to handle being around Annabeth and not being with her at the time. Everything had changed so fast and so dramatically that he didn't know how to handle it. Any of it. The feelings of drowning had been too overwhelming to deal with.

"I never read your letter." Percy decided to start with that. He flinched when her eyes flew to his. Like roiling grey clouds he could see the hurt thundering all around them as tears welled there like rain. "We were already too far gone and I couldn't bear to open it. Seeing your words etched on paper would have just complicated things. Either way."

"You left." Annabeth did not leave the accusation out from her voice.

Percy's lips thinned. "I did." He agreed. "Overlooking that you left first – "

"You told me to leave." Annabeth interrupted and Percy felt his anger blaze.

"I'm not going to argue about the past, and neither do I want to play the blame game with you." Percy said irritably and Annabeth flushed, yet her eyes glared steel daggers at him. He ignored it.

"You're right." She blinked back her tears and anger at once. "We shouldn't even talk about it, it was a long time ago and it's over now. We've moved on from it."

"Have we?" Percy asked honestly. "We've moved forward, yes, but have we managed to really leave those miserable parts of our lives behind us? When I do come home, the instant animosity we radiate towards each other makes it difficult to be around one another. We didn't deserve that and neither did our friends, who were feeling like they were stuck in the middle of our mess."

Percy could see that Annabeth was weighing his words, truth dawning on her. After a long pause she finally answered. "You're right." She whispered in admittance but Percy was able to hear her nonetheless.

"Exactly. It's just another thing that we both were too stubborn to see; choosing to believe that moving on without each other, would also mean us shedding everything we went through. Seeing you yesterday, after all these years, made me realise that there was still this rift between us. I don't like it." Percy said simply.

Annabeth listened intently, silently, and so he continued. "I left because I couldn't be around you when I knew we were over. I couldn't accept it or handle it, but you left and a part of me was glad. Relieved. We had been hurting each other for months but it had felt longer. I left because even though a part of me was reprieved, the rest of me couldn't handle you being gone. Stuck in between that damn rock and hard place, not knowing what else to do to help us, I left." Percy admitted. He didn't want to be hurtful or blunt, but the time for beating around the bush had long since passed.

"I was too. Relieved." Annabeth responded as if figuring his honesty deserved hers as well.

He wasn't necessary glad that they had felt the same way, as those emotions represented dark and bitter feelings, yet he was grateful that they could empathise with each other now. Something they hadn't been able to do during their toughest times together.

Percy nodded though. "Yeah, it was a mess that we never expected, wasn't prepared for. However, as time went by and I heard that you were fine, I decided that maybe the break was doing us good. I tried to find myself then, focus on me and what I wanted for a while. For so long it seemed like I wasn't in control of my life that I went overboard with trying to change that after Gaea. I definitely didn't want to be a control freak forever, that was never who I was."

"I shouldn't have said that, Percy." Annabeth winced apologetically as she was reminded of some of the harsh things she had fired at Percy during one of their many arguments.

"You were right though." Percy argued with a wry smile. "I tried to control everything we did because for the first time since I could remember, I could choose my own path, forge my own way. Coupled with my dumb fatal flaw, always wanting to help everyone, I didn't stop to think that you wanted different things than I did."

Annabeth stayed silent for a long while and Percy became uncomfortable with everything he had admitted now, as if it was hanging above their heads like a deadly monster. Yet the sense of relief he was starting to feel, as if his windpipes were clearing, was enough to tell him that he was doing the right thing.

"I should have opened up more to you. I shouldn't have pushed you away like that." Annabeth sighed in self depreciation.

"No." Percy said quickly as he closed the gap between Annabeth and him in a few long legged strides. He held her arms so she would look up at him. Staring honestly into her eyes, "We're not going to play the blame game with each other any longer. Or with ourselves for that matter." Percy told her determinedly. "Okay?"

Annabeth had come from a complicated past. Her father had not seen her as a blessing, a gift carried by the west wind Zephyr, as she was meant to be received. He had tried to send her back to Athena who Annabeth felt she had already been discarded by.

After Frederick Chase had married and fathered two sons, Annabeth had only felt more outcasted, less wanted. She had run away from home at seven. Ever since then she had grown to take care of herself. The few people she had relied on had let her down. Thalia had died, Luke had sold his soul for power and she had been alone once more.

She had tried to lean on Percy, but he had wanted more. More of her and she hadn't been ready to give him that at the time. Dealing with all that had happened during Gaea's awakening and after, had not made it easier for them. They had been teenagers and no one should have had to recover from what they had gone through.

Their problems had brought out the worst in them. Not having worked through their personal issues first had caused an inability to leave behind their own desires and work together as one. Somewhere along the line they had drifted from being in sync, forgetting that they were a couple and had to deal with things together.

Anger and blame at each other for not fulfilling the others expectations had seeped through their relationship like thick acid. Slowly the bitterness had then turned in on themselves, making them loathe themselves for not being able to live up to the expectations of the other. It had been unhealthy and it only made sense that something had to give.

Annabeth nodded with a watery smile. "Did you have to be such a nice guy? I was doing fine with being angry at you."

Percy chuckled softly, rubbing his hands up her arms; he gripped her face in his palms. "I think the time to be angry is over. What do you say?"

She nodded her agreement and he couldn't help it, he pulled her in for a bone crushing hug. It had been so long since he had held her like that. Yet her back arched into him, her feet lifted so she was standing on her toes and her arms wound so tightly around his neck that it felt like he had never stopped holding her. Percy buried his nose in her blonde her and inhaled the all too familiar scent of Annabeth.

Not wanting things to turn awkward after their emotionally charged conversation, Percy released her slowly and took a step back. "It's been a long day. You should get some rest. I'll sleep in the guest room, if that's alright with you, and then talk to Reyna or Frank in the morning."

She gave him one of her knowing smiles and nodded. "Good night, Percy."

"Good night, Annabeth."

* * *

><p><em><strong>.ANNABETH.<strong>_

Pale grey eyes fluttered opened softly as sunlight tried to make its way into the room, which was already hosting the soft sounds of birds chirping from outside.

Annabeth yawned loudly as she adjusted to being awake again. She stretched like a lazy cat before pushing her loose hair from around her face and walked towards her French windows. Spreading the flimsy drapes apart, she gazed outside at another beautiful day. She did so enjoy summer.

She sent her morning prayer of thanks and gratitude up to her mother. With a rueful smile, Annabeth thought how far she had come to finally not feel any resentment towards the Goddess Athena.

When she had been young, Annabeth had harboured much anger and even some amounts of loathing for her mother and the situation the Goddess of wisdom had put her through. Yet with time and experience Annabeth had learned to understand more, overcoming all her negative feelings for the woman who had given her life.

Annabeth bit her bottom lip in thought as she wrapped her arms around herself. After the initial bout of tossing and turning when she had returned to her bed last night, analysing everything that Percy and she had discussed together, Annabeth had slept like a baby.

She had not been haunted by those dreams of her past, the ones that had become worse than seeing monsters or her life flashing before her in a dangerous situation. In fact, all her dreams had probably been so insignificant that she had forgotten about every single one of them. Annabeth narrowed her eyes as she became further lost in thought.

Closing her eyes she still saw Percy's handsome face behind the darkness of her lids, only now, it wasn't marred with pain and sorrow. He had also seemed more like himself compared to the last time they had met or even yesterday at Jason and Piper's wedding.

There was still a certain amount of … enigma that surrounded him though. His startling green eyes were not as easy to read as they used to be and his poker face was cultivated very well, concealing emotions easily now. Although, there was also a sense of unburdening that had taken place here last night – where everything had escalated and resulted in their separation – and Annabeth couldn't help but feel like maybe, just maybe, she and Percy had finally come full circle.

She inhaled deeply and upon exhaling, she felt as if she were emotionally expelling all the heartache she had carried around for so long. Annabeth was certain that she and Percy could never go back to what they used to be, but if she finally let go and began to heal, then they could at least learn how to be friends again.

She had missed him.

His love for all foods blue, his sarcastic humour, the glint in those sea green eyes lashed with ridiculously long, black lashes that were unfair for a man to possess, his mischievous smirk, his fearless attitude and even his belief that enough daring and determination could solve anything. Percy's emotions had always prevailed over his logic, but that had always been motivating and encouraging to Annabeth.

Annabeth would look at Percy and take courage and draw strength from him, with her own touch of realism that kept him from going overboard. She hated that eventually, the very things she had loved about him, had become like criticism on the way _she_ always handled things with calm, logic and rationalism. And while their differences had initially been what kept them balanced, somehow, somewhere it had rocked their worlds apart.

Sighing, Annabeth opened her eyes and decided not to focus on the past any longer. It was already over and done with and she couldn't change a single second of it. Percy had been right, carrying all that pain, anger and resentment around, only made her biter and held her back from truly moving forward.

"Seaweed Brain." She muttered fondly as she thought how much he had grown and matured now. Not just physically, but apparently, emotionally and mentally as well.

She liked this new change in him. Annabeth thought as she went down the hall to her bathroom, preparing for her day ahead. She didn't know what Percy had been up to while he had been gone because talking about him with their friends had hurt too much. They had respected and cared about her enough not to force the issue after her initial stubbornness and keeping tight lipped about what had happened between her and Percy. Now though, she felt like she could finally ask those questions she had showed so much of restraint in avoiding.

When she walked past the guest bedroom, the wooden door slightly ajar, Annabeth realised that she could ask Percy himself those questions now. She wondered if there was any discomfort at having Percy back with her but she could feel none.

Annabeth had come here to prove a point to herself and Percy, yet she had ended up growing to love the place that she had been so bitter to move to. She had resented Percy for being able to give up Camp Half-Blood so easily when it had been the only true home she had ever known, for him already feeling a sense of belonging here when she hadn't.

Annabeth had felt left behind, scared and even a little insecure. Her nightmares had not made those doubts any better and though she had tried to act brave, she had not wanted to rely on Percy for fear of him abandoning her like her mother the Goddess, her father for his wife and sons, Thalia who had died, Luke for choosing evil. All her life, that was what Annabeth had been accustomed to.

Only she knew that losing Percy would be a billion times worse because of how much she felt for him. The love Annabeth had had for him superseded every single emotion she felt for anyone else. It was a scary thing to deal with for Annabeth.

Percy had not had it easy either, but he had always had the security and unconditional love of his mother. The woman who had made him blue food and married a horrible man simply to keep Percy protected.

Annabeth had assumed she had overcome her old abandonment issues, but apparently they had still been there. Gaea had made sure they had all resurfaced. Falling for Percy, caring for him the way she had, had petrified Annabeth beyond reason and logic.

For the very first time, she had been thinking and reasoning solely with her heart and she had been overwhelmed by it. When Hera had taken Percy away from her after only four months of being with him, Annabeth had suffered from withdrawal and depression.

"Annoying woman." Hera was still Annabeth's least favourite Goddess.

It had been only the purpose of finding Percy that had kept Annabeth sane. She could not imagine what would have happened if she had lost Percy forever. Her dreams after being blind in Tartarus had not made matters easier and Annabeth had become to passionately hate the way she felt about Percy. So much so that she had tried to revert to the old her. The girl who didn't need anyone.

Percy hadn't wanted a thirteen year old Annabeth though. He had wanted the strong demigod he had fell for, the girl who was secure in herself and in him, but she couldn't give him that, because she hadn't felt that way any longer.

Annabeth had let him down and knowing that had only fuelled her pride and anger at herself. Every inner struggle she had fought with herself, she had projected ten fold onto him.

She wished Percy had read all of that in the letter she had sent him. Annabeth had subconsciously prayed for his return, for his understanding, but consciously berated herself, telling herself that she deserved him turning his back on her because she wasn't worthy of him.

Annabeth turned away from Percy's door. Moments ago she had been done with all her negativity form the past, but simply thinking about it resurfaced so much of all her past pain and fear. In the end, she had still lost him. However, it had been her pride and purpose again that had kept her alive. That and she had known that Percy was not in danger. In a way it had also been her own personal punishment for her part in their sorrowful break up.

She stepped into her shower, imagining herself washing away all those demons of old that haunted her. Annabeth reminded herself that she had let go, that she wasn't that person anymore.

She had finally learned to let go of all the old hurt. Resentment at her mother, father, stepmother, the envy over her brothers, the guilt over Luke. That should have been something she had done as soon as Luke had sacrificed himself to kill Kronos, but she had been so thankful that Percy had been alive and safe, the Titan war over, that she had focused everything she had had on Percy.

Then he had been taken away from her for months and with all the Gaea madness, Annabeth had never really let go of anything, rather she had carried more and more of those treacherous emotions within herself.

Last night she had finally had the opportunity to talk to Percy, to say some of the things that she had held in for so long. Not only that, but he had understood her. He didn't hate her for it. He had forgiven her. A part of Annabeth had always been more hurt over the belief that Percy hated her for what they had been through, but now that she knew he didn't, she felt a million times lighter.

And she had finally told him that she had not meant the things she had said to him in the heat of the moment, because she really hadn't. Annabeth had always guilted and tormented herself for using her sharp tongue against Percy. She knew she would have never forgiven herself if the last things she had ever said to him were unkind – especially since they were never true.

More importantly, Percy had finally confided in her why he had left, still thinking about her in the end, concerned over her well being and Annabeth had listened. Not resenting his selflessness or selfishness at all.

Annabeth grabbed her messy handbag; various files and an apple from the breakfast counter as she made her way to work. With one last lingering look at the door to the guest room, Annabeth found that she was glad that he was back. If not for anything else but for finally being able to bury their past.

"Welcome home, Seaweed Brain."

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I went back and fixed glaring errors in the first chapter – which I sincerely apologise for! – and while I'm not making any excuses, I beta my own work which doesn't work out so well as I'm sure you can tell, but I also wrote the first chapter in one day. Anyway, hopefully this is up to scratch. Let me know what you think ...

As much as I love to create drama in my stories, I'm trying to play around, with what I think, would be more realistic issues that Percy and Annabeth would have had to face after BoO, hopefully keeping it as close to canon as possible, with some details on everyone else weaved around my favourite couple.


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